Music vs driving style: What your playlists might say about your motoring

The tunes we choose for our commutes and our favourite road trip songs might say something about our driving style, and may even influence it. Check out some of the most popular music for road trips and driving in general, and how different genres might influence our on-the-road demeanour.

For many of us, music and driving go hand-in-hand.

One study revealed that 96% of respondents listened to music while behind the wheel, making it by far the most common in-car activity. This was followed by listening to navigation instructions, at 64%.

Another survey shone light on why we listen to music in our cars. The top reason was relaxation, followed by reducing boredom and boosting our mood.

For many, listening to music is integral to our driving pleasure.

But does music influence how we drive? Can it improve the quality of our driving, or make it worse?

Does music impact how fast or well we drive?

When it comes to studies on how music impacts our driving, it’s a mixed bag.

Studies suggest that the volume of our music can influence how fast or slow we drive. One meta analysis of 19 studies suggested that medium and loud music tend to make us go faster, while low-volume sounds make us slow down. The same analysis suggested music increases arousal and mental load.

However, another study from 2013 suggested music doesn’t impair our ability to drive and may even enhance our performance a little. In particular, low volume, calming music can increase alertness.

But a series of other studies have suggested that car music, particularly the loud and fast variety, can distract some drivers and possibly increase risk taking.

Music for road trips: Top 10 tunes

For many of us, listening to our favourite tunes while on a road trip enhances the experience.

Below are the 10 songs that appear on playlists most often, according to a study by QR Code Generator (as of 2024). The selection shows that both older and newer songs are popular among motorists, spanning 1985 to 2022.

The list suggests a slight preference for lower-tempo or otherwise relaxing songs. It’s also notable that 30% of these songs are by The Weeknd!

But what might these songs say about our driving style?

Well, it’s hard to say. But anyone who sings “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” while speeding around the M25 likely has an "assertive" driving style and will probably miss their turn off.

Drivers who often play Coldplay’s Yellow, might be “steadier” drivers and might not mind if their journey seems to go on forever (much like the song itself!).

List-topping Mr Brightside, meanwhile, is about “intense jealousy, paranoia, and heartbreak from discovering a partner's infidelity”. It’s not easy to say what kind of driving style a fan of this song has but if you find yourself behind one, it’s probably best to maintain your two-second gap!

Other popular road trip songs

The following songs often appear on lists of  ‘popular road trip songs’. These epics are perhaps best suited to longer road trips, and most have a sense of optimism that chimes with the feel-good nature of being on the road. Would you choose any of this music for a road trip?

How music genres might impact your driving style

The kind of music you listen to might influence your driving style. Here’s a quick rundown of music genres and how they could affect your on-the-road persona.

These effects are commonly observed tendencies, not hard-and-fast rules: context and volume matter!

So, what’s the best music for driving? If you want to stay calm yet alert on the road, you might want to opt for jazz, classical, reggae, R&B, or folk music and leave the punk rock and EDM for when you get home!